Draco's Christmas Carol
by Agent Henry
Summary: It's Christmas eve, Draco's least favorite holiday but can visits from three ghosts change that?
1. Christmas Eve

A/N hey guys it's me with my brand new Christmas story. Enjoy!!

Christmas. The holiday Draco hated the most. Well people thought he hated it, but just because he wasn't into it didn't mean he hated it. Draco just didn't get the point of Christmas. Why did the wizarding world celebrate a holiday that was for some muggle religion thing? It wasn't even for what it was supposed to be for now anyway, it was about buying people presents. Draco didn't need to wait for Christmas to get a present, if he wanted something he could easily go and buy it. Others used it as a good excuse to have a party and get very, very drunk. Again, Draco could do that whenever he wanted (although not in school obviously, he was Head Boy and he had to set an example didn't he?). For kids Christmas was about some fat, jolly man in a red suit bringing kids presents. That was another thing Draco didn't get; why did people get excited at the thought of a stranger coming into their house after supposedly "watching" them while they had been sleeping? That just creeped Draco out. He shuddered

"Cold?"

Draco turned around to see who the voice belonged to, although he really didn't need to (he'd know that voice anywhere). Hermione Granger.

"No"

"Then what was with the shudder?"

"I don't get it. Father Christmas!" he clarified after seeing the confused  
look on Hermione's face

"What's not to get? Santa comes on Christmas eve, leaves presents under the tree, drinks his milk, eats his biscuits then leaves. Simple."

"I'm not stupid. I don't get why people believe all this just to get presents. The guy doesn't even exist."

"Draco if witches and wizards and vampire and werewolves and a load of other supernatural beings can exist, why can't Santa?"

"It's creepy"

"you're basing your theory on Santa Claus not existing on the fact that you think he's creepy?"

Draco nodded his head.

Hermione scoffed and was about to say something until she saw the look on Draco's face and changed the subject, "have you changed your mind abut coming to the Christmas Eve party?"

Draco shook his head.

"why don't you like Christmas?"

Draco sighed. He'd been asked this loads of times but could never come up with a better answer besides "I don't know, I just never did."

"You have no Christmas spirit. You need to find some Draco even if it's just a little. Christmas is a wonderful time; you don't know what you're missing out on."

Hermione said goodnight to Draco and left the head's common room to go to the party. Draco lay down on the couch and stared at the ceiling, wondering if he was missing anything.

Draco shook his head again. Hermione was always making think things through, checking if he was wrong about anything. She did it so much (even if she didn't know it) that it was seriously starting to get on his nerves.

"Gotta stop listening to Granger! Gotta stop listening to her!" Draco repeated this in his head again and again until he finally believed that it had sunk in.

Draco was glad he decided against going to the party. He was supposed to be at home but his parents decided to take a last minute holiday to Paris and Draco did NOT want to be there. Draco's instincts told him no and he always listened to his instincts.

Except now. Draco's instinct told him he was being watched, that something was going to happen but he knew that was nonsense. At least he thought it was.


	2. The Ghost Of Christmas Past

Draco was just about falling asleep when the portrait door opened. He slowly and grudgingly opened his eyes to see one of his best friends (yes he has best friends) Blaise Zabini standing over the couch.

"Watcha doing?

"Trying to sleep"

"Sorry, let me re-phrase; watcha doing here when you should be at the party?"

"Trying to sleep," Draco repeated in an annoyingly, sarcastic and slow voice "say it with me - trying…"

Draco only got as far as that because Blaise pushed him off the couch. Draco started laughing. "I'm sure Blaise that Hermione has already told you why I'm not at the party"

"Maybe but that doesn't mean I can't come and try and get you to come does it? You should be at the party Draco."

He stopped laughing now and just looked at his friend. "I don't want to go to the party Blaise. I don't get involved in Christmas activities so I'm not going and nothing you can say will change my mind," Draco ended the conversation and lay back down on the couch. Blaise knew that he anything he said now would just be wasted and useless.

"Fine." Blaise walked back to the portrait door but before opening asked "what happened to the boy whose was so excited about Christmas that his mother just couldn't get him to sleep no matter what and he wait try to wait up all night? He should be here."

Blaise didn't wait for Draco's answer.

xXx

That feeling was back, like he was being watched, but he used rational thinking that it was nothing.

"Draco."

Someone was in the room. But who? He recognised the voice. I

"Draco." it was female so Blaise hadn't come back and he knew it wasn't Hermione. He knew there was only one thing he could do to find out he it was; he opened his eyes. It was the biggest mistake of his life. Draco screamed (a manly scream obviously) and jumped back, which caused himself to fall to the floor.

"Finally, I was beginning to think you would never wake up."

"Pansy! What the hell are you doing in here!?" he shouted as he stood back up.

"Ok, first of all, I am not Pansy." Draco stared at her like she was insane but before he could say anything, Pansy or whoever she was carried on talking, "I'm the Ghost of Christmas Past. I just look like Pansy so you would feel more comfortable around me."

"Really?" Pansy/Ghost nodded, "and what the bloody hell would make you think I would feel comfortable around Pansy?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "first person I came up with who had something to do with you."

"You obviously didn't think very hard."

Pansy/Ghost gave him a look which clearly said shut up. "Next, the reason I'm here…" Draco nodded, "… is because you need to get your Christmas spirit back. With my help and the help of the other two ghosts Present and Future, you will or should. It depends on whether or not you listen to us and you will listen to us Draco Malfoy because we don't want to have to come back next year."

"I don't want you to come back next year. I didn't even want you to come this year! Not everybody has to love Christmas! Why can't people except that and leave me alone!" Draco didn't realise his voice was getting higher and higher.

"Because everyone misses the boy who loved Christmas, especially Blaise and Theo." he sighed and shook his head. " so come on, to the past."

The common room disappeared from view and in its place was a shop, the toy aisle to be exact. People were rushing past picking up toys for their children, Christmas shopping, they ignored Draco and Pansy.

"They can't see us," it wasn't a question but Pansy shook her head anyway.

"do you recognise that little boy right in front of us?" Draco's eyes followed to were she was pointed. It was him.

"It's me."

She nodded, "seven years old"

Seven year old Draco was picking up toys and putting them back and going to new toys before putting them back and going to the toys he had in the first place, while his mother was standing next to him, watching with an amused expression on her face as was present Draco and Pansy. "I can't decide," he cried

She knelt down beside him and turned him to face her, "you can have anything you want for Christmas sweetheart."

"But I still can't decide!"

"Maybe you'll get both Draco, you never know, so pick then we'll see on Christmas, ok?" she smiled at her little boy and he nodded his head enthusiastically before turning back to the toys.

Present Draco watched his seven year old self go back to the toys and start picking things up again. A boy was near them, he was crying. Young Draco turned to watch him and Narcissa, older Draco and Pansy followed his gaze.

"I want that toy mummy!" he whimpered, tears falling fast.

"I know honey but we just can't afford it." this made the boy cry even harder.

Young Draco looked at the toy in his hand. It was the same one the boy wanted. He put it back and looked at his mother, "I don't want anything mummy," he turned to the boy and said "I'm ok."

Draco and Pansy were back in the common room. They sat on the couch and Pansy looked at him. After a while of silence he finally spoke, "I didn't think it was fair that I got the toys he wanted. It wasn't fair that I got presents, that I got what I wanted, and others never. I got up on Christmas to find presents for me under the tree. I smiled and laughed and pretended I was happy but I wasn't. That's when I stopped liking Christmas. That's why; because a boy couldn't have what he wanted, because it wasn't fair." He sat back on the couch and looked at Pansy.

Pansy stared right back at him. "Wow. Who knew you could have a compassionate side, especially for muggles?"

Draco laughed a little, "don't get used to it, it only comes out at Christmas." His face turned serious, "tell me, why should I like Christmas?"

Equally serious Pansy said, "that's up to you to figure out Draco." she got up then turned around, "Ghost of Christmas Present will be coming soon. Good - bye Draco. Good luck." and she disappeared.

Draco shut his eyes tight. _Why should I like Christmas?_

A/N awww how nice is Draco? And Pansy as the Ghost of Christmas Past? Writing kinda made me laugh.

Sorry this is late and Christmas is now gone but the queue closed before I could post it. Even so I will finish it.


	3. The Ghost Of Christmas Present

Draco still had his eyes shut when he felt the couch fall in; someone was sitting down next to him. He opened his eyes and Blaise was looking at him. "Are you real Blaise or Ghost Blaise?"

"Ghost Blaise. The Ghost of Christmas Present." Draco only nodded his head.

"Did Past make you feel this way?" Draco gave him a questioning look, wondering why he wanted to know. Misunderstanding why he was given this type of look, Present explained, "did she make you upset? She does that sometimes. Well I say sometimes; I mean most times. You are upset aren't you? Why are you looking at me funny?"

"Are you always like this?"

"Always like what?" Blaise asked looking thoroughly confused.

Draco shook his head, "never mind. It doesn't matter. So, the present, what do you have to show me that his happening right now?"

"Your friends."

"What about my friends?"

"They miss you."

"They see me everyday." He accused, pretending he had no idea what the ghost meant.

But Ghost Blaise saw right through it, "you know what I mean." Draco couldn't say anything to counter that. Ghost Blaise stood up, "so you coming or not?"

"Not."

"You know I was only asking to be polite and you have absolutely no choice in the matter but to come," Blaise smiled at him..

"I never thought I'd ever say this but I prefer Pansy to you," Draco told Blaise as he stood up.

"Relish in that fact, after tonight you'll never say it again."

The common room disappeared again and instead they were in a room full of people laughing and dancing. There were Christmas decorations everywhere and a huge Christmas tree in the far corner to the right. Draco looked around and noticed that he knew these people, they had all stayed behind this Christmas. He recognised the room too; it was the Great Hall. He was at the Christmas party Blaise and Hermione had tried to get him to go to.

Blaise tapped Draco on the arm and pointed to the left. There, sitting at a table in the corner, were Theodore Nott and the real Blaise. They were talking but Draco was too far to be able to hear them. He found himself walking over to them.

"Come on Blaise at least have a drink."

Blaise shook his head. He was sitting with his arms on the table, his head resting on top. It was usually hard to recognise the Slytherin's emotions but tonight you could clearly tell Blaise Zabini was upset.

"Blaise?" Draco, both Blaises and Theo looked up to see Hermione, "are you alright?"

Again, he shook his head, "Draco should be here."

Hermione nodded her head but Theo scoffed, "Blaise we've known Draco long enough to know he's a Scrooge," they stared at him, "yes I watch muggle movies, I've seen the _A Christmas Carol_. It's not that big of a shock."

"I know he doesn't like Christmas but he could have at least come to the party. He can stand Christmas songs and decorations enough to have a few drinks with his friends." Even Theo agreed with that.

Draco, sitting in an empty chair at the table, put his head in his heads. He didn't know just how much it was effecting his friends.

"Effects them more than you thought doesn't it?"

"Neither you nor them can make me feel guilty for not wanting to go to a party."

"But you do."

"I don't feel guilt. I do what I want and don't really care about the consequences."

""Your friends are your weakness. Blaise and Theo are the only people in the world you trust. And Hermione, though you'll never admit that to anyone, especially her."

"I don't feel guilty!"

"You do!"

"I don't!"

"You do!"

"I don't!"

"You don't!"

"I do! Dammit!"

Ghost Blaise looked at Draco with an extremely smug look on his face. It made Draco really want to punch him, which then made him wonder if he actually could. _Would I hit him or would my hand go through him? _He decided hitting him wasn't worth it. It was bad enough he was with a ghost, he didn't want to be with an angry ghost.

Draco's friends were still talking, but he wasn't listening. He couldn't believe he was feeling guilty about not wanting to come to a party. He couldn't believe he had admitted he was guilty. _What's happening to me? _

As soon as he thought that he lifted his head up. There was only one thing that could be going on, one thing that could explain what was happening to him and why he was feeling guilt.

"It's all a dream," he whispered.

"Huh?"

"This has got to be a dream. All of this is a dream, none of it is real. No ghosts, just my imagination."

"Oh Merlin, you're in denial! Draco, this is all real. It's not a dream, you're not imagining anything. Besides, shouldn't it be worse if it was your imagination? Instead of ghosts telling you that you should believe in Christmas you yourself would be telling you."

"Interesting. Unfortunately that is a very good point. You win; it's real."

Ghost Blaise nodded his head, "come on we can go back now." Draco had never felt so happy to be alone before (yes alone, he was ignoring the ghost - well trying to anyway, he was so annoying!).

"Have you got any Christmas spirit back yet?"

"I got annoyed."

"You're a very hard person to turn around. You're so stubborn."

"Finally, I was beginning to think you had absolutely no idea who I was. Seriously, don't you do background checks or something? You must do to know what you're going to show the person."

Blaise muttered something that definitely sounded like shut up. There may even have been a few curse words, but Draco didn't care. He just wanted this night to be over. There was one ghost left. The Ghost of Christmas Future. After that Draco could carry on with his life ghost free. Unless they really do come back next year and maybe every year after that until he started liking Christmas. To see them every year? It was a terrible thought. _Maybe Christmas isn't so bad. _he mused.

But he knew deep down they needed to prove to him Christmas Spirit was a good thing. So far they hadn't. They needed to really show him how wonderful Christmas was. Maybe the next ghost would. Maybe it wouldn't.

"The Ghost of Christmas Future will be here soon. Hopefully she can help you." Blaise stood up from the couch.

"She? Can you tell me who it's gonna be?"

Blaise shook his head," no, you'll have to wait and see. Bye Draco." And he was gone.

Draco didn't tell Ghost Blaise that a part of him hoped the Ghost of Christmas Future could help him too.


	4. The Ghost Of Christmas Future

A/N - FINALLY we have chapter 4 and then one more chapter which should be up qiucker than this one was. reference to Christianity in this chapter, not meant to judge or offend or say anything bad about religion so i apologise in advance if it does, its in this story because christmas is a christian holiday to show draco's dilike only!!  
Disclaimer: not mine; need i say more?

xXx

Draco was thinking. _Who could the next ghost be?_ All he knew was that it was female and they seemed to be people he was close to. Pansy had already come, so it wouldn't be her again. They had also been his friends -Pansy was…kinda - so far so he knew it wasn't going to be his mother. He didn't know any more girls he was close to, he knew girls, but none who could be the Ghost of Christmas Future. Draco shut his eyes and rubbed his head. Now was not the time for a migraine.

"Don't think too hard, your head might explode. Leave the thinking to the professionals."

He knew that voice. _Not her. Anyone but her._ Draco removed his hands very slowly away from his face and turned to the voice. "Oh no."

"Weren't expecting it to be me were you?" Draco just shook his head, "I wonder why?"

"You're the Ghost of Christmas Future?"

"Yes, do you have a problem with that?"

"No, not that I really have a choice, but still." He told her out loud, while thinking _Why her? Of all the people, it could have been. Is there someone up there who really hates me. _"So, is the future any good? Or should you not waste your time and just tell me now?"

"I'm going to show you two possible futures Draco. One that will happen if you keep hating Christmas and the other will happen if you…well…stop hating Christmas," she told him.

"I don't hate Christmas, I never have, I just don't like it. I don't get why a muggle holiday is necessary for wizards."

"Maybe Jesus was a wizard, that's why he could perform all those 'miracles'. That would make Christmas a wizarding holiday and muggles would celebrate it because they don't know about magic and think he was the saviour and Son of God."

"But he wasn't a wizard and it's not a wizarding holiday."

"How do you know? Where you there?"

"I don't have to have been there."

"Why do you always have to be like this Draco?" she asked him.

He answered her with another question, "why do you have to be the Ghost of Christmas Future Hermione?"

"I asked you first."

Draco shrugged, to which he received a dead arm and the comment, "you are so annoying."

The room was silent for a while before Hermione finally asked him the question she had longed to since he said 'oh no' when he saw her, "why don't you want me to be the Ghost of Christmas Future?"

_You really should have expected that question, _his mind told him. "What makes you think I'm gonna tell you?"

Hermione shrugged, "I don't really expect you to tell me, I just thought I'd ask."

Draco was quiet for a while contemplating whether or not he should tell her. He finally decided that he would, he just hoped he wouldn't regret it. "you won't tell anyone?"

She shook her head, "no I promise."

"The real Hermione? Well…I sort of…like…her."

"Sort of?"

"I like Hermione, really like her and I don't want her…you to be the future ghost incase…"

"Incase the future isn't what you want. You want your future to be with her," she finished for him.

"A part of me hopes so, but I'm not really holding on to that part just yet. You have to actually be with someone to have a future with them and I haven't even asked her out. I haven't got that far. Why are you smiling?"

Hermione nodded in understanding, "no reason. Ok, time to go to future number one." She stood up, bringing Draco with her and, still holding his hand, took them to the future.

They were in a house; in the living room to be exact. To other people, the house was relatively large, but to Draco, how lived in a manor, it was really small. The room was cream and red; the suites were cream with red cushions and there were two red lamps in diagonal corners. There was a flat screen television on the wall across from the couch and next to the window. It was nice, homey. But was it really Draco?

_Red. It can't be my house,_ was Draco's thought.

"Welcome home Draco."

_Maybe it is._

Draco turned to look at the Ghost and had to ask, "which future is this?"

"This is the future you will have if you continue to not like Christmas," she answered him and Draco nodded. Hermione turned them both around, "there you are, ten years into the future."

There sitting at a table at the end of the room was Draco Malfoy at twenty seven years old. "So that's what I'll look like in ten years? Not bad."

Hermione scoffed at Draco's modest answer (modest in her opinion anyway). In ten years Draco's hair would be a little longer, just falling over his eyes, his features were sharper and his muscles were more defined, which she could so obviously see through his thin, white shirt. "Not bad? You look hot!"

Draco looked at her strangely, "it's so strange it hear 'Hermione' say that to me."

Hermione was about to say something but a young woman, about Future Draco's age, came into the room, "Draco?"

"Hmmm?" he replied not turning around.

"I'm going to my mother's for Christmas now."

"OK."

The woman sighed and turned to leave, before she stopped. She turned to look at him again, "are you sure you don't want to come Draco? You're more than welcome."

This time Draco did turn around, "you ask me that every year, you know I won't go, so why bother?"

She looked down at the floor for a few seconds before looking back at him to answer, "I always hope you will change your mind."

Draco groaned and his eyes went back to the table, "I have work to do, you should go."

"Work? Draco it's Christmas Eve!"

When Draco didn't say anything else , she just shook her head and left.

Present Draco looked at Hermione, "who is that woman?"

"Just someone you met. Hannah I think her name is. Future number two?"

"Please."

Hermione took Draco's hand and…stayed where they were? It was the same house, the same room.

Draco laughed, "did we even leave?"

"Technically. You bought the house so you live here no matter what future. But the house is brighter with Christmas decorations and your not sitting at the table so we moved."

Now that Draco looked properly, he realised that the room was covered in decorations and lights, and there was a huge Christmas tree in the corner. "Wow."

"Yeah, personally I think you all went a little overboard, but even so, it is beautiful."

"All?"

Hermione looked at Draco and smiled, "you'll see. Any minute."

They turned when they heard a woman's voice in the hall, "come on; living room!"

It was followed by another voice, a younger voice, "I'm coming! I'm coming!"

The woman came into the room, her hair, no longer bushy, was pulled into a ponytail.

"That's Hermione," Draco whispered.

Running after her was a little girl, she had the same chocolate brown eyes, but her hair was lighter, "Mummy!"

"We have a daughter." Draco couldn't believe this could be his future, it was everything he secretly wanted.

"That's not all," Hermione said but before Draco could ask what she was talking about, Future Hermione started speaking, answering his unspoken question, "Gracie, where's your brother?"

"Mummy!" It came from another room, "Mummy help me!" The boy was laughing.

Then in walked Future Draco carrying a boy who looked exactly like Draco's past self. He was giggling uncontrollably as his Father kept tickling him. His face was covered in chocolate.

"What do you need help for Ciaron?"

"Daddy…won't ….stop,"

"Why is he tickling you?"

The young boy looked up at his dad, wanting Draco to answer, "you know I always tell you to make sure the kids can't reach the food you've just baked?" Hermione nodded her head, "well as you can see," he pointed to his son's chocolate covered face, "the brownies have cooled down." They both started laughing causing the children to laugh with them.

Draco put Ciaron down and he ran to his mum, who wiped his face with a conjured tissue. When they were both sure all the chocolate had gone, he ran to the tree and sat next to the presents, "can we open one please."

Draco laughed as he sat on the floor next to his wife and daughter. Hermione answered her son, "no sweetheart, you have to wait until tomorrow. You know that."

Present Draco and Ghost Hermione were sat on the couch watching the little boy give his parents the saddest look they had ever seen. "He's just like you isn't he?"

"Yeah. How old are they? When did we get married? When did we get together?"

"Nathan is seven and Grace is five. You proposed just after Nathan was born, but you didn't get married till you were twenty three, Nathan was three and Grace was one. After all the wedding planning to make the day perfect Hermione became pregnant again. You both wanted to wait till they were a bit older."

The smile on Draco's face had gotten wider during the story, though she didn't know how he could be listening, he was so engrossed with watching his future son beg his parents to let him open a present. "What about when we got together?"

The answer Hermione had in her head made him grin, she had been waiting to tell him this since he told her he liked the real Hermione, "well, you get together soon." That got her Draco's undivided attention, "Christmas Day actually. You're in your seventh year, she's eighteen as it's her birthday in September; you're seventeen."

"We get together tomorrow?"

She nodded but couldn't comment, Future Draco interrupted, not being able to take his son's pleading anymore, "fine, you can open one present. Only one."

"Mummy if Santa brings the presents, why are they already under the tree?" Grace asked, Draco could see she had a thirst for knowledge; just like her mother.

Hermione smiled but Draco answered, "Santa brings the presents you've asked him for, these presents are one's other people have bought you like your Grandparents."

"And Uncle Harry and Aunty Ginny?" asked Ciaron, but not looking up as he was too busy looking for a present that was good enough to open.

"Yeah…sure." Draco sounded sour and Hermione laughed.

"Don't forget Uncle Ron and Aunty Lavender," Hermione said still giggling.

"And Uncle Blaise and Uncle Theo!" Grace shouted.

They both finally picked the presents they wanted to open and came back to their parents to open them.

"Come on we can go now," Hermione stood up and held her hand out for him. Draco took it, still watching the family. His family. Draco was seventeen now, if him and Hermione got together tomorrow then they would have Ciaron in only three years. That thought both scared and excited him.

He had not even noticed that he was now in his common room.

"So…you and Christmas? How do you feel about it now?"

Draco thought. How did he feel now? He still kind of felt the same but different at the same time. He felt different because of his future. To see _his _children so excited about Santa and presents was different to seeing how people reacted now. He got excited about Christmas because they were excited and Draco loved it. Christmas definitely wasn't so bad. He would get used to it. He would get excited and he would definitely love Christmas. Draco couldn't wait for tomorrow.

With the picture of his family in his mind he looked at the Ghost and smiled, "it's not so bad. I will grow to love it. Next Christmas I'll be as bad as the rest of them."

Hermione laughed, "good. I have to go but good luck with Hermione, not that you need it do you?"

Draco lay back onto the couch and closed his eyes.

"Oh, and Draco?" Hoe opened his eyes to see her still here, "Merry Christmas!"

She was gone.

"Merry Christmas," he whispered.

A/N - aww Draco loves Cristmas! Well of course he would, it's A Christmas Carol, they always do in the end, but still aww


	5. Christmas Day

The early morning sun was shining through the window, into the common room, and hit the couch, causing Draco to wake. He rubbed his eyes and closed them quickly. It was too early.

Draco knew he had to get up but his brain had other ideas; he was still lying on the couch and his eyes were still shut. It must be really early.

He could hear footsteps from upstairs, _Hermione must be up. _Draco didn't hear her come down or sit on the coffee table in front of him.

"If I knew you were gonna sleep on the couch all night I would have woken you up when I got in a dragged you to your bed."

Draco opened his eyes again, groaned and shut them again, "what time is it?"

"Seven thirty."

His neck was stiff and his back was aching. _I can't believe I slept on the couch last night._

Last night. The ghosts. His future. He remembered now. He pulled himself up so fast he made Hermione jump backwards.

"What day is it?"

Hermione laughed at him, "where have you been? It's Christmas Day!"

"Christmas Day," he whispered.

"Are you alright?"

Draco shook his head. How was he supposed to tell her about the ghosts, about his past, his present…his future. He wouldn't…for now. "yeah I just had a really strange dream." At least if he said it was all a dream she wouldn't think he was crazy.

"About?"

Draco smirked, "A Christmas Carol."

Hermione raised her eyebrow, "really? That story keeps getting mentioned, it's so strange. Did you know Theo has seen it?"

Draco nodded, "yeah it was my DVD, I watched it with him. Blaise would have watched it too but his parents took him to Italy that Christmas."

Hermione stared at him in disbelief, "you have muggle stuff? Why? How?!!"

"That's a story for another day."

"Yeah you're right," Hermione agreed, "we're talking about your dream. What happened?"

Draco stood up from the couch and stretched causing his t-shirt to rise. But his eyes were shut, so he didn't see Hermione looking. " You know; three ghosts, seeing your past, present and future, a happy ending."

"A happy ending?" Hermione smirked and Draco nodded and, knowing where this was going, smiled at her, "as in you liked Christmas at the end?"

_Ha I knew it. _"Yes Hermione that is the general idea. Have you never seen _A Christmas Carol_?…Or read it?"

Hermione scowled, "I don't just read you know! I may think that books are better than their film adaptations, but I do watch them."

"Ok, I just wondered is all."

She nodded, satisfied with his answer and carried on with her questioning, "what did Past, Present and Future show you?"

Draco thought long and hard on whether or not to answer her and Hermione seemed to be getting impatient. He decided he would tell so much. "Past was Pansy," Hermione laughed; Draco ignored her, "she showed me something that happened when I was seven when I was Christmas shopping with my mum. It was the reason I stopped liking Christmas."

"What was it?"

"It's not important right now. Maybe I'll tell you in the future." Hermione nodded, signifying he could continue, "Present was Blaise…"

"Figures."

"…He showed me the Christmas party you had last night."

Hermione looked at him, confused, "how would you know what happened at the party?"

"Erm…It was a dream…I made it up based on…things I knew about the three of you and things you'd said to me." _Nice save._

Hermione thought about Draco's answer for too long, in his opinion. He was starting to thing she didn't believe him until she said, "ok. Carry on, what did you see?"

"Can I just ask; why are you so interested?"

"Because the whole time I've known you, you've never liked Christmas and now your dreaming about liking it. It's interesting. I wanna know."

Shrugging his shoulders, Draco carried on with his 'story'. "Blaise was upset that I wasn't there, you went to see if he was alright, Theo said I was a scrooge - shocking you to find out he watching muggle films, Blaise got angry saying why I should be there, Ghost made me feel guilty. What?" Hermione was looking at him funny.

"it's scary how accurate your dream was to what happened last night. Are you sure you weren't there?"

"Positive, you would have seen me. I kind of stand out," he pointed to his blonde hair. Hermione laughed; she had to agree with him. She didn't know anyone else who had such blonde hair other than the Malfoy's.

"Finally, the future."

Draco looked down for a second, remembering his future, then looked back up at Hermione, smirking, "I'll tell you in ten years."

"Aww come on!"

"Ten years."

"What makes you think we'll still be talking in ten years?"

Draco laughed and tapped his temple with this finger, "I saw it remember."

"I was in your dream future?"

"That's all you're going to know for ten years. Oh and you were the ghost. But that is it. Dream me was shocked when you came as the ghost, but know that I think about it, it's not surprising. You keep trying to get me to like Christmas."

"So, you'll tell me in ten years," Draco nodded, "I'll hold you to that. Did your dream succeed were we did not? Do you like Christmas?"

"What's for breakfast?" he asked getting off the couch, ignoring her question. She sighed and shook her head, which was how she saw the Christmas presents and remembered why she came down so early during a holiday.

"Do you wanna open presents?"

Draco looked at her then at the presents, then shook his head, "not yet, I'm starving. Then…" he looked at his watch,"…seeing as Blaise and Theo are still asleep, I'll go get them and bring them here with theirs. We can open them together like we did when we were kids. I need to apologise for upsetting them. Merlin, we haven't opened our presents together in years. You can get your friends if you want. What?" this was the second Hermione has looked at him funny.

"Who are you and what have you done with Draco Malfoy?"

He laughed at her, "breakfast. Friends. Presents. Ok?"

"Breakfast. Friends. Presents. Ok."

They walked into the Head's kitchen.

xXx

"Who are you and what have you done with Draco Malfoy?" was asked by Blaise, Theo, Harry, Ron and Ginny at the same time as soon as Draco and the other two Slytherins got to the Head's common room.

He rolled his eyes at them and walked to his presents, "you wanted me to have Christmas Spirit back. Well, it's back. Enjoy it." He told them in a tone that told them it could go at any minute. His friends didn't want that and joined him at the table, followed by the Gryffindors. Hermione was already at the table, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

"So, you got it back because of a dream Malfoy?" Harry asked him.

Draco glared at Hermione, "that is the last time I tell you anything," knowing, though, that he wouldn't keep it. But she didn't need to know that, did she? Yet.

"I accidentally let slip that this was your idea and they demanded to know why."

He smirked and looked at Ginny, who replied, "yes by 'they' she does mean me. I can be very persuasive can't I Hermione?"

She nodded but said nothing.

xXx

The morning passed a lot quicker than they expected. Everyone was laughing and joking, while trying the presents they got. When lunch came no one wanted to leave so Hermione made snacks in the Head's kitchen while people shared stories of past Christmases.

"I remember one Christmas when mum and dad were both ill. Bill and Charlie had to look after me, Ron, Percy and the twins. Our Christmas dinner was the chocolates we got and by the end of the day Bill had caught what our parents had and was ill, Fred and George had practically destroyed the house and had Percy dangling upside down, Charlie hadn't been able to cope so he went outside and refused to come back in which didn't help, Ron was throwing up everywhere because he ate all his chocolate way too fast and I was sat in the corner away from everyone so that when mum and dad finally came down I didn't get in any trouble…though it was my idea to have Percy dangled upside down but like mum would believe Fred and George. It was a very good day wasn't it Ron?"

"Speak for yourself," he replied, though it was hard to tell with his mouth full of chicken sandwich. Everyone started laughing.

"What was your best Christmas Malfoy?" Harry asked him.

_My future one._

"How can Draco have a best Christmas if he never liked it?" Theo asked them, Blaise scowled at him and punched him in the arm.

It was quiet for a bit before he answered, "I was six and I was upset because my dad said he wouldn't be back for Christmas. My mum tried to make me feel better and when I woke up on Christmas Day my mum was downstairs with my Aunt Andromeda and Tonks. I hadn't seen them in ages because they didn't like my dad and he wasn't too fond of them so I was really happy to see them and it did make me feel better. Blaise and Theo came and I was having so much fun that I almost forgot why I was sad in the first place. I didn't hear the door open or close, so I didn't know someone had come till he said my name. I turned around and there was my dad. He'd rescheduled the trip until the next day. It was my best Christmas because everyone I wanted to be there was there and happy and smiling, no arguments and fights. I'd never had that before and it was what I wanted."

Everyone was smiling because Draco's story and he could have sworn that Hermione and Ginny had tears in their eyes.

"What do you want more than anything now? No, wait, we'll make it a game. I'll go first and we'll go clockwise which means you'll be last Draco. Right, what I want more than anything…and no one even think of laughing…is my S.P.E.W. charity to take off so I can have equal rights for house elves. Ron?"

"Ok, I…really want…cake. Your turn Harry." Now everyone started laughing.

"I really want to be thought of as me and not 'The Chosen One'. The war is over and Voldemort is gone but they still won't leave me alone."

"If it makes you feel any better," Draco said, "you will always be known as just Potter to me, or Pothead, or St Potter or Scarhead; the list is endless," he smirked.

Harry smiled at him, "thank you and to me you'll always be a ferret."

Draco's smirk dropped at bit, "I can live with that. Your next Ginny."

"Easy; I want Harry."

Ron choked on his food and everyone stared at her in shock but Harry sat there as if it was normal for Ginny to say that and they all noticed it.

"Explain."

Ginny looked at Hermione then Ron, "an extra Christmas present for you; me and Harry have been seeing each other for a while and we chose today to officially tell you."

Ron glared at Harry. _If looks could kill _he thought and out loud said, "I think I'll go sit over there next to Blaise and Theo." He moved quickly.

"Coward."

Harry nodded and grinned.

"My turn, I want it to be Christmas everyday."

"Why?"

"Obviously Draco, it's to see how long your Christmas spirits lasts. I don't think I can wait till next year."

"What do you want Theo?" Hermione asked him.

"Me? I want to go to sleep because I got woken up at eight in the morning, on Christmas Day, by someone who didn't even like it yesterday. What do you want Draco?"

Draco didn't even need to think about what he wanted. He looked at Hermione while he said it. "I want to ask this girl that I'm absolutely crazy about if she will go out with me."

She was smiling at him, "really? And who is this girl?"

"Let's see, she has brown eyes, brown curly hair, she likes to read a lot, oh and she's really smart."

"I like her already."

"You would."

Hermione laughed, "do you think she'll say yes?"

"I hope so."

"What if she doesn't?"

He groaned, "Hermione, don't ruin it for me."

"I wouldn't want to do that would I. It looks like she's gonna say yes. It's your lucky day Draco."

"So far."

xXx

When it neared dinner, everyone left, leaving Hermione and Draco on their own. "So your crazy about me?"

"yes."

"It's good to know."

"Why?"

"I've liked you for a while too." they had unconsciously walked closer and closer to one another until there was hardly any distance between them. "There's something we have to do before we go to the great hall for Christmas dinner, an old tradition."

"Yeah, what's that?"

Hermione pointed upwards, telling Draco to look up. He laughed when he saw it. Mistletoe. He looked back to her. "We wouldn't want to break tradition would we?"

"Definitely not," she whispered.

They both leaned in gently and let their lips touch briefly for a second before she pulled him to her and deepened it.

xXx

_10 years later._

_Christmas Eve._

Hermione was lying in bed, reading when Draco came in. "Are the kids in bed?" she asked not looking from her book.

"Yes and they went straight to sleep. They didn't even want a story. Ciaron said he didn't want one because the quicker they go to sleep, they quicker morning will come and Santa will have been. Grace agreed."

"I don't why you still ask if they want a story. They say they same thing every year."

Draco got into bed, "you never know, they might surprise us one year." He was just drifting off to sleep when Hermione put her book down and poked him. "What?"

Guess what? It's been ten years. You promised you would tell me what you saw in your future in your dream."

Draco sat back up, "you remember that." His wife nodded. "What happened this evening?"

Hermione frowned, wandering what that had anything to do with his dream, but answered anyway, "me and Grace went into the living room, Ciaron started shouting for me to help him and you carried him in tickling him, he'd eaten one of the brownies we'd made earlier, I cleaned his face and he asked to open one of his presents, we said no at first but conceded to one, we all had a brownie and some hot chocolate then you put the kids to bed and I came in here and now here we are."

"Exactly."

"I don't get it."

You've just answered your own question. From you and Grace going into the living room to the kids opening a present; that is what I saw in my future ten years ago."

"How? Because you are not physic!"

Draco chuckled, "no I'm not, I told you it was a dream so that you wouldn't think I was insane."

Hermione tried to make out what he was saying, "so it wasn't a dream?"

He shook his head, "no, it was all real. Three ghosts came to our common room and made me go with them to see my past, present and future. And you know what?"

Hermione shook her head smiling, "what?"

"I'm extremely glad they did, because if they hadn't, I wouldn't have the life and family I have now."

Draco pulled Hermione to him and she lay on his chest, "I'm glad they did too. I still think you're crazy though."

She felt him laugh and sigh as well as hear him, "me too."

And they fell asleep knowing tomorrow was going to be an exhausting yet fun day with their family and friends. Neither of them could wait. Why? Because they both loved Christmas.

A/N: that guys was the final chapter; Draco's Christmas Carol is officially over and I finished in March instead of December. But technically Jesus was born in March so Christmas should be in March. Why isn't it? Because the Church put it on December 25th because of a pagan holiday. There's a bit of useful (or useless) trivia for ya!!!


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